The Maxim 9: Fight the Noise with SilencerCo

Silence may be golden, but it’s notoriously difficult to obtain when it comes to firearms. The joys of getting your own suppressor involve tangled webs of red tape and a long wait, and then there are the individual rules and regulations of your particular area. Yes, it’s possible to get one, but it isn’t easy.

There are some among us who question the need for suppressors, saying they’re the stuff of James Bond movies and SF operators, and to that there are two replies: first, they’re awesome for hunting and self-defense, and second, well, the second. As in, Second Amendment. Yes, the Second Amendment has to do with the right to bear arms and doesn’t get into logistics such as suppressors – imagine that, given when it was written – but they’re a firearm accessory, and in my book that means they should be far more readily available. Oh, and it’s an excellent way to preserve your hearing, in case you enjoy the ability to hear, that is.

Some companies are making headway in the suppressor market, looking for ways to provide a greater number of gun owners with quieter guns while also working with legislation to hopefully simplify matters. One such company is SilencerCo, and in September of 2015 they made quite an announcement: they created an integrally suppressed pistol.

The media invitations went out just a few short weeks before the event itself. SilencerCo called it Maxim Vice; invitations were few, and the media attending would be test-firing new products out on the water. Literally. Perhaps their greatest moment was the unveiling of the new pistol, and while it’s a prototype, it’s really quite something. It’s called the Maxim 9, and it could mark the beginning of an entirely new type of pistol, not to mention a whole new world of suppressors.

The Maxim 9 is, as the name implies, chambered in 9mm. The prototype shown by SilencerCo is the result of a Smith and Wesson M&P body that’s been significantly altered. According to the company’s CEO, creating space for the system itself took quite a bit of a time and was understandably extensive. Because of that time and effort, the production pistols aren’t slated to hit your local gun store until 2016, but in the meantime, we can get an early look. Hopefully it will also be present at SHOT Show this coming January; if it is, you can be sure I’ll be on hand to give the closest possible look through pictures and video.

In an industry filled with companies such as Remington, which is about to enjoy its 200th year, making it the oldest constantly operating American firearms manufacturer, and Beretta, the nearly 500-year-old Italian company, SilencerCo is quite young. The company is just 6 years old, but don’t let their single-digit age fool you. They’ve been producing innovative products since day one, and in just a few short years they haven’t backed off, they’ve amped up their game considerably.

“Fight the Noise is a movement to regain our Voice. To exercise our right to protect our hearing and silence the sound. To be responsible gun owners and be treated as such. We want law­-abiding citizens to have the ability to purchase and own silencers without being subjected to excessive wait times, paperwork, and taxes. We are the silent majority, and it is our time to be heard. We are your Friends. We are your Coworkers. We are The Suppressed™.​” (From SilencerCo)

One way SilencerCo has worked to increase suppressor use awareness is their #FightTheNoise campaign, which has attracted industry celebs like Jep Robertson of Duck Dynasty fame. The images from their campaign show well-known industry members with their mouths covered by a piece of tape emblazoned with, of course, #FightTheNoise. The campaign has done a lot to increase discussion about suppressors, and it isn’t over yet. SilencerCo is putting their suppressor money where their mouth is, and the results are impressive.

Suppressors have quite a few uses, from preserving your hearing to bagging more game while hunting to more effective self-defense. I’ve hunted with a suppressed rifle, and the benefits are practically endless. Game tends to have no idea what’s going on when that first soft popping sound goes off, making it far easier to take down more than one. The ability to hunt without ear pro is also great because it makes it far easier to listen to what’s going on around you, communicate with hunting partners, and, let’s face it, no ear pro offers total protection. And, if you’re ever put in the position to defend your life or the lives of your loved ones, you certainly won’t have the time to cover your ears first – “Excuse me, could you pause your assault while I insert these ear plugs?” – and the resulting boom of the report without suppression is not only deafening, it can be disorienting.

There are many reasons to make suppressors more widely available, and although it would be easy to get into those details, I’ll spare you. For the time being. Today we’re talking about a pretty awesome new pistol, one visually cool enough to immediately spawn “Straight Out of Black Ops” memes and an instant fan base. The Maxim 9 looks to be a homerun for SilencerCo, but more importantly it could be a turning point in the world of firearms.

Are you ready to #FightTheNoise?

Disclaimer: The content in this article is the opinion of the writer and does not necessarily reflect the policies or opinions of US Patriot Tactical.

Katherine is a military and political journalist with a reputation for hard-hitting, no-holds-barred articles. Her career as a writer has immersed her in the military lifestyle and given her unique insights into the various branches of service. She is a firearms aficionado and has years of experience as a K9 SAR handler, and has volunteered with multiple support-our-troops charities for more than a decade. Katherine is passionate about military issues and feels supporting service members should be the top priority for all Americans. Her areas of expertise include the military, politics, history, firearms and canine issues.

Katherine is a military and political journalist with a reputation for hard-hitting, no-holds-barred articles. Her career as a writer has immersed her in the military lifestyle and given her unique insights into the various branches of service. She is a firearms aficionado and has years of experience as a K9 SAR handler, and has volunteered with multiple support-our-troops charities for more than a decade. Katherine is passionate about military issues and feels supporting service members should be the top priority for all Americans. Her areas of expertise include the military, politics, history, firearms and canine issues.